Research in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities ARMA Conference – Liverpool 6th June 2017 Arwen Bate Dr William Mitchell Martina Savio Research Development Manager Strategic Projects & Research Information Manager LSTM Partnerships Manager (Int’l) LSTM University of Liverpool

Outline Intro: Why are we here? International Development Context GCRF and ODA Overview Challenges & Opportunities - Discussion

Why are we here?

International Development Context Millennium Development Goals - 2000 Eight goals with 21 measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people. 189 countries signed the millennium declaration at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000. Target date of achievement: 2015

Global Context - UN Sustainable Development Goals 169 Targets ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’

0.7% of GNI on Aid (ODA) In 2013, the UK became the only G20 country to achieve the UN target of spending 0.7% of Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance (ODA)

Strategy for UK Contribution to SDGs How the UK is delivering on each goal ‘around the world’ and ‘at home’ 10 of the 17 goal responses directly reference the UK investing in research and innovation

New Approach to UK aid 2015 UK aid strategy announced a new cross-government approach to aid 2016-21 Spending review saw a significant redistribution of aid spend across Government Departments An increase in spending for research for international development

Major Non-DFID AID Programmes BEIS includes £1.5bn Global Challenges Research Fund £735M Newton Fund DH includes £460M Ross Fund Portfolio £450M Global Health Research Fund Source: ICAI 2015-16 Report NOTE: Fund allocation subject to change

Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Newton Fund GCRF - £1.5 billion, 2016-2020 UK Research Councils, National Academies, InnovateUK, the Higher Education funding councils Challenge-led research with elements of: ODA statement Pathways to impact Multi-/inter-disciplinary approaches Building international partnerships Research capacity/capability building Newton Fund - £735 million, 2014-2021 Bi-lateral: Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Turkey, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Africa and wider Africa; India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

ODA statement Which country/countries on the DAC list will directly benefit from this proposal and are these countries likely to continue to be ODA eligible for the duration of the research? How is your proposal directly and primarily relevant to the development challenges of these countries? How do you expect that the outcome of your proposed activities will promote the economic development and welfare of a country or countries on the DAC list? Why an ODA statement? ODA is a key measure for aid targets and assessing aid performance OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) defines what type of spending can count as ODA. UK government is counting some research funding as ODA. So research funders, universities and researchers are in turn being required to meet ODA requirements.

Addressing ODA 2015 UK Aid strategy ‘the most vulnerable populations, … in poorly resourced settings’ ‘no-one left behind’ UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development 17 goals, 169 targets

ODA – all about the impact Impact summary Who benefits What the benefits are ODA statement DAC list Relevance to country’s challenges How activities will promote economic benefits Pathways to impact How impact will be realised (activities, timescales, milestones, resources)

4. Challenges & Opportunities Intro and format Themes: Impact-led multidisciplinary research Building and managing international partnerships Operational

Framework for considering issues in Research in Developing Countries Our themes: Impact-led multidisciplinary research Building and managing international partnerships Operational

Theme 1 Impact-led multi-disciplinary research Proposals are invited to develop and lead interdisciplinary, problem-focused research projects that address up to three development challenges as informed by UK Aid Strategy and/or the UN SDGs. Key features of the call: Deliver research outcomes with potential for significant impact on the welfare and economic development of developing countries in line with ODA criteria; Grow research capacity and capability, building skills across career stages in both the UK and developing countries; Build strong and lasting relationships between UK research organisations and research organisations and other partners (e.g. NGOs, governments and business) in developing countries; Projects can be up to 4 years duration totalling £10 million. There is a limit of 2 proposals per institution. Closing date for proposals is 2 November 2017

Discussion questions What issues can you identify in responding to this call, particularly: adopting a multi/inter-disciplinary approach; engaging faculties or schools who haven’t worked in developing countries before; building research capacity; ensuring impact. How would you maximise the response from your institution to this call? Given the limit of 2 proposals per institution, how would you handle demand management?

Theme 2 – Building and managing international partnerships Why do we want LMIC research partners? The need for multi/inter-disciplinary research and highly collaborative approach to achieve SDGs GCRF ethos of “doing things with people and not simply for or to them” Academics and research team are motivated to achieve impact and benefit Requirement of LMIC partners by funder

Challenges encountered working with LMIC partners LMIC network of researchers may be new to your academic/institution Achieving equitable collaboration across great distances, cultural and language barriers Increased financial and reputational risk to the UK institution Requirement for additional resources and support towards the project Capacity building (see LSTM Capacity Research Unit flyer) http://www.lstmed.ac.uk/research/centres-and-units/capacity-research-unit

Theme 2 – Building and managing international partnerships How can you support academics to identify international partners or build international networks? How will you asses risk of developing country partners? Ability to deliver throughout lifecycle of research grant Stability and financial position Ability to manage the grant and report on the use of funds Where can things go wrong?

Theme 2 – Building and managing international partnerships How can you support academics to identify international partners or build international networks? Newton Funding Internal mapping of existing LMIC partners Other funding for partnership development (internal?) How will you asses risk of developing country partners? See Wellcome Trust presentation from ARMA 2016 ‘Assessing Risk when working with International partners’ Due diligence process Where can things go wrong? Pre-Award Je-S registration, input to project development, provision of budget and justification Post-Award Contracting, grant management, performance management

Data use & Transparency Theme 3 – Operational Data use & Transparency ODA funder compliance Duty of Care Risk Management Ethics

Theme 3 - Operational Why a case study on data use and transparency? Source: http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/mapping-new-york-noise-complaints [11.05.2017]

Theme 3 - Operational

Theme 3 - Operational UK signs up to IATI 2011 2010 UK Aid Transparency Guarantee UK signs up to IATI 2011 DFID 1st to use IATI standard Development Tracker portal 2015 New UK ODA strategy Partners to meet transparency standards AccountabilityOpen Data, Beneficiary feedback, Accessible information

Your institution holds several DFID funded projects. Theme 3 - Operational Your institution holds several DFID funded projects. In early 2016, you are contacted and informed of a new UK Aid requirement on Aid Transparency. The letter explains that following the new UK ODA strategy published in November 2015, DFID now expects all partners to publish transparency data about aid-funded projects to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standard. The requirement aims to make data on UK Aid transparently available but you are given complete freedom in choosing your preferred reporting tool as long as information on aid is made publicly available.

Theme 3 - Operational What impact does data use and transparency have in our framework? How would you ensure colleagues comply with this requirement? What resources would you need?

Theme 3 - Operational How have LSTM approached this? What kind of impact does data use and transparency have in our framework?

Data use & Transparency: Where to find out more OECD DAC website http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/officialdevelopmentassistancedefi nitionandcoverage.htm and http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainabledevelopment/development-finance-standards/ ‘Is it ODA?’ https://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/34086975.pdf Full directives https://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/DCDDAC(2013)15-FINAL-ENG.pdf DFID National Statistics publications https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-forinternational-development/about/statistics ODA GCRF Guidance: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/international/gcrfodaguidance-pdf/ *Aid information is published according to International Aid Transparency standards (http://www.aidtransparency.net/resources/speakers-kit) New UK ODA Strategy (November 2015) (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478833/ODA_strategy_final_print_0905.pdf)

Wrap up CONTACTS Arwen Bate (LSTM) Arwen.Bate@lstmed.ac.uk Research Development Manager Dr William Mitchell (UoL) William.Mitchell@liverpool.ac.uk Strategic Projects & Partnerships Manager (International) Martina Savio (LSTM) Martina.Savio@lstmed.ac.uk Research Information Manager